1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a tamper evident cargo seal that is utilized to effectively close and secure the doors of a cargo container in a manner which makes it very difficult and/or impossible to open the cargo container without affirmatively removing the tamper evident cargo seal. Furthermore, the tamper evident cargo seal is configured such that any tampering therewith so as to permit access to the cargo container by opening the doors will be clearly evident, even in circumstances wherein the cargo seal is replaced on the cargo container after its contents have been removed.
2. Description of the Related Art
Large, cargo containers, such as those that are detachable or are formed as part of trailers are the most commonly used means of transporting large volumes of many varying cargos from location to location around the world. A primary advantage to their use is that the large containers can store large quantities of goods and can be effectively transported on boats, trains, and/or trucks in order to expeditiously arrive at their eventual destination. The detachability and adaptability of containers is of particular importance because the containers will often change hands from one carrier to another carrier, such as from a train to a truck or from a trucking company to a steamship line, during the various legs of a transport route.
Naturally, due to the great volume and often valuable nature of the cargos being transported in the large containers, security is an important consideration when dealing with cargo transportation. Unfortunately, however, one of the most prevalent security concerns, in addition to the third party hijackers or thieves who do not generally care if they leave signs of a break in, involves internal, not obviously detectable theft. For example, it is sometimes an all too common occurrence that during transit, an individual placed in custody, of the container, such as a truck driver in charge of transporting the cargo from point to point, is behind a robbery. Such an individual is naturally very familiar with the nature of the cargo on board, and can easily arrange for a safe rendezvous for the removal of all or part of the cargo contained within the large container. Unlikely as it may seem, in these instances, it is often the security measures and/or locks which are normally employed that serve as the biggest allies to the thieves.
A conventional, single-use, single end seal is the common article used to secure the door handle/latch in a door closing orientation. Moreover, this is the primary seal, and more likely the only seal that is looked at by shipping personnel assigned to verify the integrity of a shipment during transit. Unfortunately, thieves have still found ways to unlatch the doors without actually breaking the seal. Specifically, the joint between the actuation handle and the lock rod on most conventional containers generally incorporates a single bolt or rivet securing both elements with one another. As a result, a thief can merely cut or drill out and remove that bolt or rivet to permit the independent turning of the lock rod while the actuation handle remains in place, thereby opening the container without having to move the actuation handle or break the seal. Once the cargo has been removed and the door is re-closed, a replacement bolt is merely inserted to connect the actuation handle with the lock rod, and can be painted over if necessary to preserve the original appearance. As a result, the conventional type identifying seal has never been removed and no evidence of tampering is available as the cargo changes hands from one carrier to another. Accordingly, when the specific carrier involved in the theft arrives at a next leg of the transport, the container looks normal and intact, and the responsibility is passed on to the next transport carrier. Naturally, when the theft is ultimately discovered, blame passes from carrier to carrier with no concrete resolution as to the true thieves or the actual stage of transport during which the theft occurred. Moreover, as no positive blame can be put on any particular carrier, it is often the owner of the cargo who must take the loss and must fight their insurance company for some recovery.
Despite the numerous techniques thieves have found to defeat existing systems, and because of the high volume of cargo being transported on a daily basis, and the cost of more extensive security measures, most carriers still utilize the above-described securing methods to seal the cargo doors. Such carriers accept a certain percentage of losses to theft as an expense of doing business given the lack of a viable alternative. Accordingly, it would be highly beneficial to provide a cargo container seal and door lock which can defeat or at least significantly hinder the xe2x80x9cinside jobxe2x80x9d theft in a cost effective and easy to implement fashion. Such an improved seal should be structured so as to resist opening of the doors without its removal, and should be difficult to replace without providing substantially clear and noticeable evidence of tampering, thereby allowing the identification of a theft by a transport company when they take on the cargo.
For these reasons, many exporters have turned to larger, more elaborate cargo container seals that work in conjunction with and/or in association with the single use seal containing a serial number. For example, these additional sealing assemblies often involve the positioning of a rigid segment across the door opening such that the rigid element itself physically prevents opening of the doors whether or not the lock assembly has been altered so as to effectively unlock the doors. While such techniques appear to provide a greater effect and deterrent to the general opening of the cargo containers in an unidentifiable manner, clever thieves have nevertheless still been able to effectively defeat such security measures. Indeed, often when such additional brace type security measures are employed, a generally more lax attitude might be exhibited wherein only the serial number is examined and no other inspection for tampering is performed.
Looking specifically to systems that include a rigid segment helping to maintain the doors closed, the primary manner in which thieves have in the past been able to defeat such systems involve the mere cutting and/or severing the elongate segment once the cargo container door has been unlatched and/or unlocked. Furthermore, such elongate segments are generally formed of a single rigid piece of metal. As such, a common occurrence involves the cutting and/or severing of the elongate rigid segment at a generally inconspicuous point, and subsequent to removal of the container""s contents, the repositioning of the elongate segment and the re-welding thereof into a single integral piece. Indeed, such welding techniques are rather quick, and once performed sanding, grinding and/or other simple surface treatments can provide a substantially smooth conforming connection that is not readily identified. This is further compounded if a paint can be used to match the surrounding metal portions and further conceal the weld.
As such, it would be highly beneficial to provide a tamper evident cargo seal which not only functions to affirmatively retain the doors in a closed orientation regardless of whether the doors"" own locking or latching structures are able to be bypassed, but which also operates in a fashion which is very difficult to tamper with and bypass in a manner which cannot be detected. Additionally, such a tamper evident cargo sealing assembly should also maintain a generally cost effective status so as to not require significant cost increases in order to provide the desired tamper evident and highly secured sealing of the cargo container.
The present invention relates to a tamper evident cargo seal. In particular, the tamper evident cargo seal is preferably structured for use with a cargo container of the type having at least one door and at least two spaced apart lock rods, and thereby functions to effectively secure the cargo container and maintain the door in a closed position.
In particular, the tamper evident cargo seal includes a preferably elongate, rigid cross brace structured to span a perimeter edge of the door when secured to the cargo container. Further included and cooperatively associated with the cross brace are a pair of retention assemblies. The retention assemblies are structured to engage the cargo container and to thereby maintain the cross brace in its spanning position across the perimeter edge of the door. As can be appreciated, this spanning position prevents opening of the door as it will abut the cross brace when an attempt to open the door is made.
A lock assembly is further provided so as to effectively secure the retention assemblies in engaging relation with the cargo container, and thereby maintain the cross brace properly positioned. Accordingly, in order to gain access to the cargo container, either the lock assembly must be removed or the cross brace or retention assemblies must be physically tampered with.
In order to visibly indicate tampering with at least the cross brace, the cross brace also preferably includes a continuous surface pattern defined thereon. In particular, the continuous surface pattern preferably defines a visible and identifiable pattern on a surface of the cross brace such that a severing of the cross brace through surface pattern and a subsequent re-attachment of the sections, such as by welding, will be readily visible to an observer. In this regard, the continuous surface pattern will preferably be sufficiently detailed so as to be very difficult to easily repair in manner that returns the original, undisturbed appearance.
These and other features and advantages of the present invention will become more clear when the drawings as well as the detailed description are taken into consideration.